Angel’s Tragedy
by Unplayed
Summary: The Universal rule is absolute... but they say it’s unjust. SASUSAKU AU!


**COPY RIGHT: ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2019**

This is a fan-fiction. Characters used are NOT mine. Sasuke and Sakura belong to Misashi Kishimoto.

**AN**: Hello! This is the first story that I'll ever publish on this site. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

_

I watch her as she takes a sip on her tea. Her eyes glimmer at the taste of her favorite drink. Her long, pink, silky hair sways as the wind blows gently. Her white satin dress fits the ambiance of my garden; it feels like I am sitting in front of a goddess, waiting for her command.

It was a wonderful morning when I heard three knocks on my apartment door, waking me up from my precious nap. It turns out the ever graceful Haruno Sakura decided to pay me a visit—which is as odd as I saw my TV flickering a sci-fi movie and my unusually quiet neighborhood.

"Have you ever thought about an angel and a demon being in love?" she asked, out of the blue. "Isn't it amazing?" her emerald eyes bore into my onyx ones, luring me.

"They are forbidden." I stated as a matter of fact.

She tilted her head. "An angel fell in love with a demon. A girl fell in love with a boy. Why is love forbidden when it blooms in its purest form?"

"You shouldn't think of that, Sakura." I picked my own glass of tea and play with it a little. "The Universal rule must not be broken. Those who will dare to break it will end up broken, too. The ending would be nothing but tragic."

She nodded her head and chuckled, glowing emerald eyes never leaving mine. "I would love it."

I shot my brow up. For a timid girl like her, tragedy surely is not her thing. She belongs to flowers and butterflies. Not despair and death.

"Didn't you think that the tragic ending somehow proven to be more connected to the reality of this world?" She said slowly, like savoring every words in her tongue. "That it's sweeter for having been so fleeting? That somehow, the people's efforts were even more heroic and chaotic and _meaningful_, simply because of the inevitability of death?" if it weren't for her voice sounds so luscious and seductive and sweet, then I wouldn't even thought that she's talking about tragedy.

But even though she has a huge point, I can't seem to get the sense of this conversation. Everything seems so peculiar and unexpected. Why is she here in the first place? Just to talk about angels and demons and tragic love stories?

"Sasuke," I snapped out of my trance when she called my name. "how are you?"

"Sakura, why are you here?" I asked, not minding her yet another out-of-the-blue question.

"To visit you, of course." She smiled at me, soft yet mysterious. "Am I bothering you?"

I didn't answer because neither did I know. I have duties but she's here. And no matter how much of a hassle the delayed works are, I just couldn't tell her to go away. Maybe because I am secretly longing for her presence, too. It's been a while since I last saw her. Not days, not months, but years... decades, even. I am secretly missing her innocent face—her round, angelic eyes, pointed nose, and tempting lips.

"You're out of your mind." I shake my head. The trip here is dangerous for a fragile girl like her.

"You shouldn't be worried." She said. There goes her smile again, full of secrets and unsaid emotion. Her voice is braver this time, as if she's telling me that she's strong enough to handle herself in a place like this.

"_You're out of your mind_." I repeated, this time sternly.

Instead of answering back at my accusation, she handed me a book—hard bounded and brown. Chains of flower are imprinted to the sides. Just from the looks of it, it's a romantic novel.

"Here," she said and pushed the book to me. "Read that."

"I thought you like tragedy?"

"I do. But I love happy endings."

I eyed her before deciding to flip through the pages and read some of the lines. It's very, very romantic.

I put the book down once again and sighed. "Is this what you want?" I asked, tapping the book with my index finger. "Impenetable love stories and temptations and forbidden romance and moonlit kisses?"

_Haven't you learned, Sakura?_

"True love," she said, dreamy and distant. "Happily ever after for the characters who fought and cling for it as if it's their only hope, however unrealistic and boring that must be for some." I watched her as she talks flawlessly. Her lips move so seductively into every syllable like she's kissing the air.

She then looked at me again. "Soulmates. I like the idea of soulmates. The right fit for the incomplete puzzle of one's emotion. The perfect match for the individual who's subconsciously longing for affection. And the whole love conquers thing?" She laughed, bright and tickling, no longer forced, no longer fake. The pale ray of early sunshine streaming through my garden seemed to melt gold on her features.

Her laughter faded through my serious gaze, but her smile remains. "I like that too. I like all romantic clichés I've seen on countless of people. They make me warm and fuzzy inside. True love, first kisses, roses and written poetries. All of that."

That time, I knew I was really doomed. Although I'm not prepared to her visit and her sudden odd questions, I am not naïve. I know very well, deep inside myself, why she's here—her motives, her thoughts. For the first time in my life, I'm going to admit that I'm scared. I may not be able to do the _duties_ that's given to me and I know I'm making things worst the more I prolonged it. I just can't help myself...

"I would love to share it with you again, Sasuke." She said. And now that I'm looking at her smile thoroughly, I saw the hidden sadness and longing. "I miss you so much."

"You shouldn't be here, Sakura. You're out of your mind." I gritted my teeth and my hands turned into fists.

"How are you, Sasuke?" She asked, smiling but her tears are evident in her eyes, wanting to come out, screaming unsaid feelings. "How are you after the Deity sent you to the underworld?"

How am I going to answer those questions when I don't know the answer? _How are you, Sasuke?_ Are you angry? Are you sad? No. Am I numb? I guess removing my feelings is also part of my punishment.

"I'm sorry." She said, now looking at the hem of her dress. A soft sob escaped from her throat.

"Don't be." I said. "It was not our fault to be in love, Sakura. The Universal rule is unjust."

"But we are angels—"

"I _was_ an angel, turned demon just because I loved you." I chuckled. "Angels are pure, and their duty is to spread love here on earth but _why_ can't they fall in love?" I asked, more to myself than her. More to the Heaven and Hell than her. More to the circumstances and fate. I badly want to ask them... so bad that I barely even stand my thoughts, I barely even recognize myself.

"We're bound to serve, Sasuke. To fulfill our duty, we must focus. We are created to make the humans love each other. We are not humans and that's why I'm sorry. I should have known—"

"Do not be sorry—"

"No! Why do you have to face the consequences alone in exchange of my freedom?"

"Because I loved you."

"Loved?"

"Yes."

"Do you still love me?"

I look at her hopeful eyes—the eyes of an angel, so pure and delicate. Why are you shedding tears for a filthy demon?

"I am not capable of feeling anymore, Sakura." I said, even my voice is perfectly masked. I don't know if this is a perk or a curse of a demon: manipulation and deception, half-truths and whole lies.

"That's good. Now, kill me." She said so effortlessly as if she's just asking for another cup of tea.

"What are you saying?" I said. I shivered. Because we both know some things are just bound to happen.

"Your duty has been long overdue, Sasuke. You are only dooming yourself." For a timid angel, she sure has a piece of mind to share.

"I am already doomed."

"Do you think I'm happy in the heavens? I am in hell there. You are punished because of me; my conscience is killing me."

"Just because you're guilty doesn't mean that I am going to grant your wish." I countered.

She looked at me firmly and I looked at her firmly, too. How can an angel could be this stubborn?

My duty is absolute. A demon is not capable of feeling. But I was once an angel and she's the girl I am willing to sacrifice my all. I guess the Universal rule is also flawed because I can still feel my emotions. I can feel it clearly. I can feel it haunting me.

Sakura stood up and walked towards me. "You gave up your wings and accepted the fate of a fallen angel for me. Now it's my time to give up my life for you to fulfill your duty."

And then I saw her eyes again. This time so sure and encouraging. I guess her name is not given to her for nothing—delicate and strong, legendary and enticing—because the last thing I know is that she's smiling, a teardrop is streaming down my cheek, and a thunderstorm in a middle of summer indicating that another angel have died.


End file.
